


No Place Like Home

by mayafeyy



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Angst, Dialoglogs (Homestuck), Earth C (Homestuck), F/F, Jade Harley deserves better, Loneliness, POV Jade Harley, Trans Female John Egbert, epilogues inspired but not epilogues compliant, i wish there was a june tag :(, jade doesnt have a tail in this because im the author and i dont want her to have one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26603815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayafeyy/pseuds/mayafeyy
Summary: Jade's been living with Dave and Karkat for several years now, but she still feels like a 3rd wheel that neither of them want around. She's sick of being brushed aside and sick of living in a house that doesn't feel like a home, so she impulsively decides to move out. She only plans on staying with Rose and Kanaya for a few days, but for some reason, she starts to feel like she belongs at the Maryam-Lalonde household...(AKA, Epilogues Jade deserved way better than Dave and Karkat and I am here to give that to her!)
Relationships: Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Jade Harley & June Egbert, Jade Harley/Kanaya Maryam, Jade Harley/Rose Lalonde, Jade Harley/Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam
Comments: 21
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

JADE: hey, um, kanaya? i really really really hate to ask you this but  
JADE: could i stay with you and rose for a few days?  
JADE: i just...i dont know, sorry to bother you, i just  
KANAYA: Of Course Jade  
KANAYA: You Are Always Welcome  
KANAYA: We Do Have A Guest Room For A Reason You Know  
KANAYA: The Reason Is To Accommodate Guests If The Need Arises  
JADE: youre sure its ok with rose? i dont want to intrude, i know you guys are busy and  
KANAYA: I Am Sure Rose Will Be Very Happy To Have You  
KANAYA: She Does Care About Her Friends Although I Will Admit She Has A Peculiar Method Of Showing It That May Or May Not Be Effective   
JADE: haha yes i know! thank you so much kanaya, i need to pack my stuff and then i will be over!  
KANAYA: See You Soon Jade

Jade hangs up the phone and slowly gets off the couch. She exhales, blinks away the tears that threaten to spill onto her cheeks, and forces a bright smile onto her face. Her ears still droop, though, as she makes her way to a shelf that holds three houseplants in terracotta pots. Each one is a lovely, vibrant green, without a wilted leaf in sight. Clearly these plants have been tended to by a careful hand. 

JADE: ok, guys...i hope this journey isnt too rough for you :(

The plants shrink down until they are about an inch tall, and Jade scoops them up, gingerly placing them in her hoodie pocket. She floats a few feet and reaches for the periodic table that’s taped to the wall. As she tears it off, some paint peels off along with the tape - she winces, not at the state of the wall but at the state of her life. She never meant for the poster to be up that long, and she never wanted it to stick quite that well. After a few seconds, she realizes that she’s been staring at the spot of chipped paint and lightly shakes her head. The poster is scaled to about the size of a credit card, and she sticks it in her back pocket in front of her phone. She realizes that she could’ve just captchalogued her stuff, but leaving with her pockets full of tiny versions of her things just feels so much more dramatic! She laughs dryly. 

JADE: jeez! i need to get out of this fucking house :P

Jade does one last lap around the house, grabbing her belongings where she sees them - a pile of dirty laundry (hopefully Rose and Kanaya won’t mind if she uses their washing machine), some squiddles, her bass, and the plush puppy June got her for her 17th birthday. She shoves open the kitchen window and prepares to leave Kansas for good…

JADE: oh! i guess i should probably tell them where i am going, i dont want them to be worried

Sighing in frustration, she pulls a piece of paper off the notepad that is stuck on the fridge. 

dear dave and karkat,  
if you are wondering where all of my stuff went, dont worry! we didnt get robbed. i know this probably seems really sudden but i decided to move out. it is not that i am sick of you guys!!!! you are my best friends and i have had a ton of fun living with you for the past few years :D ummmm i am not really sure what else i should say here...i will miss you two a bunch but we can totally hang out even if we arent roomies anymore! im sorry for not warning you before i leave but i think this will be the best for all of us! try not to miss me too much ;)  
love, jade

ps i love you dave!!!!  
pps i love you karkat!!!!  
ppps if i left something here please text me hehe 

And with that, it’s time to go. Jade sets the note right next to the coffee machine, because that’s the first place Dave goes when he gets home, and floats herself out the window. She turns around to close it up - she might have joked about a burglar in her letter, but she knows how many people would kill to get their hands on a god’s kitchenware. She looks into the house for the last time as she wrestles with the window. It’s been sticky since she moved in, and she used to nag Karkat about getting it fixed. Now that she’s leaving, she thinks it’ll probably be sticky forever. Jade growls and pulls harder, and it finally dislodges and slams shut. 

JADE: well, bye, i guess...

Suddenly Jade is hurtling through the sky. The wind whips her cheeks and wets her eyes, and her hair keeps finding its way into her mouth, and her skin is starting to sting but she just can’t bring herself to slow down, because she knows that once she stops feeling the wind she’ll have to hear the question that’s been thrumming in her mind like a bass line in a whole-tone scale and she’d rather hear the wind, she’d rather hear the wind, she’d rather hear the 

KANAYA: JADE!  
KANAYA: JADE HELLO CAN YOU HEAR ME  
KANAYA: JADE!!!

Oh. 

JADE: shit shit shit shit shit!!!!!

After a few ungraceful somersaults, Jade manages to slow herself to a stop. She waves down at Kanaya before gently descending, almost like she’s standing in a giant pink bubble or something silly like that. By the time her toes touch down on the Maryam-Lalondes’ porch, Kanaya has already opened the front door, but Jade stays outside.

JADE: hi kanaya! thanks for yelling at me, i wouldve flown...

She stops talking and takes a slow, deep breath. 

JADE:...right past your house!  
KANAYA: I Hope You Do Not Believe It Is Necessary To Wait For My Permission To Enter The House  
JADE: hehehe  
KANAYA: Did I Say Something Funny  
JADE: its just that usually vampires are the ones waiting to be invited inside and not the other way around!  
KANAYA: Sorry But I Dont Understand The Reference You Are Making  
KANAYA: Never Mind That Come Inside 

Jade laughs quietly and follows Kanaya inside. She’s been here plenty of times and this is far from the first time she’s spent the night in their guest room, but as she walks down the hall she is careful to keep her footsteps soft. She’s afraid that she’ll accidentally knock the books off of their carefully organized bookshelf or she’ll break one of their wedding plates or maybe she’ll get into another fight with their cat. 

JADE: are you sure im not intruding? i can always crash at junes place or bug roxy and callie or something  
KANAYA: Jade Please  
KANAYA: Rose And I Are Both In Agreement That You Are Welcome To Stay As Long As Youd Like  
JADE: oh yeah...what is rose up to? i assumed shed be here too!  
KANAYA: She Is Off Giving A Graduation Speech At Some University  
KANAYA: Assuming She Does Not Talk For Six Hours She Should Be Home In Time For Dinner  
JADE: jeez, those poor college students :P  
KANAYA: Yes I Thought The Same Thing  
KANAYA: If We Are Lucky She Will Only Talk Them Half To Death

They reach the guest room, and Kanaya leaves Jade to unpack while she goes and makes some tea for the two of them. Unable to resist the temptation of a soft bed, Jade flops down onto the mattress and sighs as she lets herself sink down into it. She’s just about to doze off before she remembers her plants and reaches into her hoodie pocket.

JADE: oh noooo! my fern :(  
JADE: i guess it fell out while i was flying...  
JADE: im sorry little buddy! i hope my aloe and my zebra plant wont miss you too much!  
JADE: ...  
JADE: but i guess you probably want them to miss you  
JADE: i know how that feels  
JADE: i mean  
JADE: with dave and karkat  
JADE: its hard not to wonder  
JADE: will they miss me?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose gets home and there's lot of vaguely flirtatious banter! Also, a teeny tiny bit of angst, but it's mostly just lesbians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: this chapter is super self indulgent. i mean, this whole fic is self indulgent but jeez! it really shines through here LOL

Jade picks up her steak with her bare hands and shoves it into her mouth. As she snarls, gnashes her teeth, and tears off bits of meat with her canines, meat juice drips down her chin. In her head, a voice is telling her to cut it out and control herself, but the sheer doggy joy she feels at having such a delicious meal in front of her drowns it out. In fact, she’s so absorbed in her blissful, carnivorous indulgence that she does not notice the sound of the front door unlocking, and she definitely does not notice the sound of one Rose Maryam-Lalonde walking into the kitchen. 

KANAYA: Hello Rose  
ROSE: Hello, dear. Oh, did you make dinner? It smells delicious.

Jade’s ears perk up and her eyes widen. She swallows down the steak in her mouth and winces as it struggles to go down. Then, she wipes her chin with the sleeve of her hoodie, turns around, and waves. 

JADE: HI ROSE!!!! :D  
ROSE: Hello, Jade.  
ROSE: Apologies if I interrupted you.  
ROSE: I can imagine it is quite cathartic to surrender to your more...canine tendencies.

Jade flushes red.

JADE: im so sorry, sometimes its hard to control the  
JADE: woof!  
JADE: doggy instincts...  
JADE: its been a while since ive had steak and it smelled sooooo good, i just couldnt control myself WOOF!  
KANAYA: My Apologies For Not Considering The Effect My Culinary Prowess Would Have On You 

Rose laughs. It’s a warm, inviting, melodic sound, and Jade just stares at her, looking at her elegant suit and distinguished hair. She considers what she must look like, her face covered in steak juice, hair tangled up by the wind, and can’t repress a giggle. Things escalate quickly, and soon they’re cracking up together, hands on their stomachs and gasping for breath. Then the energy of the moment fizzles out and Rose sighs contentedly. 

ROSE: It’s lovely to see you, Jade.  
ROSE: You hadn’t called for a while - I was beginning to wonder if I’d never hear from you again.  
JADE: heh, sorry!!! :P  
ROSE: Jade, I’m just joking. Has living with Dave and Karkat been degrading your sense of sarcasm?  
JADE: i guess ive lost my taste for jokes that arent shitty metaphors! oh noooo, what will i do? i cant live like this, rose!!!!!  
JADE: my poor, poor sense of humor…  
ROSE: It is certainly a shame.  
JADE: doctor rose, can you fix this??? :0  
ROSE: Well...it’s an experimental treatment, but clinical trials are currently studying the effects of conversation with Rose and Kanaya on the psyche. So far, the data looks promising.  
JADE: oh my gosh im saved!!!! thank you so much doc :D  
ROSE: Don’t get too relieved. There might be serious side effects that we are not yet aware of. 

Kanaya snickers and gets out of her chair to stand next to Rose. 

KANAYA: Prolonged Exposure To The Maryam Lalondes Substantially Increases Risk Of Lesbianism  
JADE: pfft

Jade feels her cheeks heat up. She turns back around to face her plate and starts taking small bites of her side salad. This time, she’s using a fork and doing her best to chew with her mouth closed, although compared to Rose and Kanaya her table manners still leave much to be desired. After making a plate, Rose sits down at the table, and Kanaya moves her half-finished plate to the chair next to her. As the three of them enjoy their meals, a chilly, expectant silence fills the room.

ROSE: Jade?

Jade’s ears perk upright.

JADE: EEK!!!!!!!!!!  
JADE: jeez you startled me!!!!  
JADE: second time youve done that today :P  
ROSE: My apologies.  
ROSE: I just wanted to ask you something.  
JADE: whats up?  
ROSE: What happened between you, Dave, and Karkat?  
JADE: oh nothing! i just...thought it was about time for a fresh start, you know how it is, were gods, life gets pretty boring!!!!

She smiles. It’s the same smile she uses when kids ask to take pictures with her - bright, sweet, and toothy - but this time, it doesn’t reach her eyes. 

KANAYA: Jade No Offense But You Are A Horrible Liar  
JADE: woooow, thanks :|  
ROSE: I’m afraid I must agree with my wife. I will say, though, that your honesty is one of your most endearing traits.  
KANAYA: What Rose Is Trying To Get At With This Sugarcoated Babble Is That She Finds It Hard To Believe You Would Move Out For No Particular Reason After Living With Them For So Long  
JADE: well maybe you should stop assuming things rose! nothing happened, im not so pathetic that id leave after one fight anyway!  
KANAYA: I Never Said There Was A Fight  
JADE: well there wasnt  
ROSE: Jade -  
JADE: CAN WE PLEAAAAAAAAAAASE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The yell eats up all of the sound in the house, and when it fades Jade notices the worried looks on her friends’ faces. Her mind begins to race. The voice in her head is screaming at her - LOOK AT YOU, HARLEY, YOU RUINED THEIR DINNER, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING, THIS IS WHY NOBODY WANTS YOU AROUND!!! \- and doesn’t notice her own hands yanking at her hair so hard that it stings.  
JADE: im sorry  
JADE: i dont know what came over me!  
ROSE: No, no, you’re right. I shouldn’t have pressed.  
KANAYA: Really Jade It Is Alright  
KANAYA: But Please Stop Pulling Your Hair Dear That Cant Be Good For Your Mood

Jade nods and slowly releases her grip, letting her hands settle in her lap. 

JADE: i didnt even realize i was doing it! its a silly little habit i have :P  
KANAYA: Well When I was Upset I Used To Saw People In Half So Really I Am Impressed With Your Regulation Skills  
ROSE: Jade isn’t a troll, Kanaya. It would be a psychiatric anomaly if her instinct was to commit grisly acts of violence in response to stress.  
KANAYA: Oh Yes My Darling Wife You Are Right I Should Not Have Expected Any Predisposition To Violence From Someone Who Fused With A Giant Omnipotent Dog That Has The Power To Destroy Universes If It So Desires

Rose glances at Jade’s dog ears and smiles. 

ROSE: Touche. 

The trio settles into silence again, but this time it’s warm and comforting, wrapping Jade up in a fluffy blanket. She takes her last bite of salad and stands up with her empty plate in her hands. She carefully sets it in the sink and starts making her way back to the guest room. She hears Rose and Kanaya clear the table, and she’s about to accept the warm embrace of the guest bed and spend the rest of her night in solitude. That's what she did after dinners with Dave and Karkat, since she wasn't a huge fan of shitty B movies, rom-coms, or monopoly. Then, she decides to stop thinking about Dave and Karkat and settles on overanalyzing Squiddle lore when Rose calls out to her, surprising her for the third time in less than an hour.

ROSE: Care to join us in a game of Scrabble?

Jade grins. Scrabble is her game, after all. She must have spent thousands of hours on the island messing around with the board and seeing what words she could make, and by now she has the game’s dictionary practically memorized. She follows Rose’s scent to the living room and floats herself dramatically above the table where Kanaya is setting up the game. 

JADE: oh, FUCK yeah!!!!! bring it on >:D 

Rose smirks, and Jade can’t tell if she’s seeing things or if that was an honest to god flirtatious wink in her direction.

ROSE: Please don’t take these as fighting words, but when it comes to Scrabble, I am simply the best there is.

Kanaya laughs and gives Rose a look that makes Jade feel like she must be missing some sort of obscure reference. She doesn’t show her confusion, though. Instead she cracks her knuckles and looks down. There’s a gleam in her eyes that makes it clear how dangerous she really is. 

JADE: weeeeeell....i guess we will see about that!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the next chapter will be longer i promise!!! also please leave kudos and comment, it makes me happy :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sooooo sorry this took so long!!!! school has been KICKING MY ASS and i havent had time to do anything. that's also why this chapter is on the shorter side. hopefully, my classes start to ease up on the work load soon and i can update within the next few days. sorry for the wait and i hope you enjoy!!!

Jade’s sprawled out on the guest bed, a fluffy blanket hanging off her torso, when her phone starts vibrating in her pocket.

JADE: ughhhhhhhh 

She blinks slowly, rolls onto her back, and reaches for the phone. The lit up screen tells her that she has an incoming call from Dave Strider. Almost on cue, her head starts to throb with a quiet, persistent ache. She feels like she’s filled with sand. Letting out a huff, she pulls herself upright. All the while, the buzzing ringtone taunts her. Jade would rather throw the Mayor into lava than talk to Dave right now, but curiosity gnaws at her. Does he miss her? Does he want her to come back? Does he feel bad for what he said? She hesitates over the button before tapping “accept”.

DAVE: yo  
JADE: ...hi dave  
DAVE: so uh  
DAVE: well i guess i should just go ahead and rip the band aid off  
DAVE: they say you should do it fast so it hurts less and this band aid is on a hairy arm like a super fucking hairy arm its on bigfoots goddamn arm or something and you need to take it off fast because you know bigfoots gonna scream and if he doesnt shut up quick some redneck cryptid hunter wearing a bush is gonna track him down and snap a photo and then bam everyone knows bigfoot exists  
JADE:  
DAVE: i mean its fucking bigfoot i bet he screams so loud that all the birds in the area die instantly from shock   
JADE:  
DAVE:  
JADE: dave i dont mean to be rude but right now youre peeling off the band aid waaay too slowly!  
DAVE: yeah yeah youre right  
DAVE: ok so why did you leave

Jade digs her nails into her thigh and exhales loudly.

JADE: really??? THATS what youre asking me???!!  
JADE: you have got to be kidding me  
JADE: it isnt fucking rocket science dave!!!!!  
DAVE: bro chill im just trying to figure out what happened  
DAVE: i mean if you just wanted a change of scenery or whatever thats awesome but  
DAVE: i dont know for some reason i really dont think thats it

A growl simmers in her throat, and she feels her ears flatten against her head. She tries to unclench her jaw and focus on her breath, hoping that the anger building up in her chest will fizzle out. Her feelings are stubborn, though, and the red-hot pressure stays persistent. 

JADE: WOW REALLY??????!!!  
JADE: how the fuck did you know!!!!  
JADE: you know dave, you should be a therapist or something because oh my god you really have a talent for understanding how people feel  
DAVE: jade dude what did i say  
DAVE: cmon calm down uh wanna play frisbee i can throw you a frisbee  
JADE: oh my god dave, you REALLY dont know???  
JADE: youre not kidding! you really dont know why i left?????  
JADE: IF YOU WANTED ME TO STAY, YOU COULD’VE DONE A BETTER JOB PRETENDING YOU WANT ME AROUND!!!!

Jade’s gripping the phone so hard her knuckles are white. As she takes in heaving breaths, she notices that her cheeks are lined with tears. 

DAVE: shit uh  
DAVE: shit  
DAVE: jade im really sorry i didnt mean it karkat was being karkat and i 

The fire in Jade’s blood cools to a cloudy gloom. 

JADE: no, its ok! it was unfair of me to yell at you like that  
JADE: you were just expressing your feelings, after all!  
JADE: id rather you didnt lie to me, though  
JADE: you did mean it  
DAVE: jade i  
JADE: and it hurts, but that doesnt mean i should blame you for how you feel about me!  
JADE: its not like i wasnt expecting this  
JADE: so you dont need to worry about me! ill stay out of your hair :)  
DAVE: nah bro you can climb in my hair anytime  
DAVE: just really get in there and tangle yourself up in my luscious locks like a lice  
DAVE: a lice that doesnt sound right whats one lice  
JADE: ...a louse??  
DAVE: yeah jade see this is why we need you karkat and i dont know shit  
DAVE: youve got more brain cells than both of us combined harley  
JADE: well maybe you do need me but you certainly dont want me!!!  
JADE: im sorry dave but im not moving back

With that, she ends the call. Her mind is still clouded with drowsiness, but there’s no way she’s going to fall back asleep after that interaction, so she hovers out of bed and heads to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth, taking a nice, long shower, and getting dressed, she stretches and makes her way to the kitchen.

JADE: jeeeeeeeeez!!!  
JADE: cant a girl suddenly move out in peace?

Her voice echoes through the room. Rose and Kanaya, who she assumed would be eating breakfast right about now, are nowhere to be seen. She peeks outside and realizes the driveway is empty. Suddenly, she feels rather silly. Of course they went out without her! They’re married, after all, and she’s just crashing in their spare room. Obviously they wouldn’t take her with them, that was to be expected - 

Only then, in the midst of yet another angsty internal monologue, does she notice the neatly folded note left on the counter. It reads: 

Jade -  
Kanaya and I have gone out to brunch. We meant to invite you, but you were sound asleep and we agreed that you clearly needed rest and it would not do to interrupt your slumber. Text us if you want us to bring you something back. If you are hungry in the meantime, feel free to help yourself to our pantry.  
Yours,  
Rose 

Jade sighs in relief. Then, her stomach growls loudly. Brunch food does sound good…

JADE: hey rose thank you for writing the note and for letting me sleep in!!!! i am not sure what kind of restaurant youre at but im assuming it has standard brunch food sooooo  
JADE: some sausages would be appreciated!!!!   
ROSE: Will do. We’ll be home soon!

Jade’s ears perk up at the promise of food, and she throws herself down on the living room couch in wait. As she settles herself into the cushions and starts idly scrolling through pestergram, her conversation with Dave fades from her mind. This couch is really, really comfy, she thinks. Comfy enough that it kinda sorta feels like home.

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! this is the first fic ive written in like 2 years so im super out of practice but i hope you guys enjoyed it anyway! please let me know what you think in the comments, i would really really appreciate it :D


End file.
